Turbocharger flexible nozzle ring



Nov. 26, 1963 1.. R. LAZO ETAL 3,112,096

TURBOCHARGER FLEXIBLE NOZZLE RING Original Filed June 16, 1958 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Lu 1.": R 1 a2 0 y Ben-Jam n Barr/5 1:

Nov. 26, 1963 1.. R. LAZO ETAL TURBOCHARGER FLEXIBLE NOZZLE RINGOriginal Filed June 16, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR-S lad: R. 142a yflag amen Bards/4 3 A T RN]: YS

United States Patent 3,112,096 TURBOCHARGER FLEXIBLE NOZZLE RING Luis R.Lazo, Mentor, and Benjamin Barish, Lyndhnrst, ()hio, assignors toThompson Raine Wooidridge Inc, Qieveiand, Ohio, a corporation of OhioGriginal application June 16, 1958, Ser. No. 742,071, now Patent No.3,010,697, dated Nov. 28, 1961. Divided and this appiication Nov. 28,1960, Ser. No. 72,067 2 Claims. (QR. 253-65) The present inventionrelates to improvements in turbines and particularly to an improvedturbine nozzle ring structure for gas driven turbines.

The invention contemplates the provision of a gas operated turbinehaving an improved structure for directing a flow of operating gas to arotor, the turbine structure is particularly well adapted for use in aturbocharger of the type shown and described in our copending patentapplication entitled Turbocharger, US. Serial No. 742,071, filed June16, 1958, now Patent No. 3,010,697, and the present application is adivision of that application.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved gas turbinewhich is better able to accommodate the temperature changes which mustoccur in a gas turbine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gas turbine of the typewhich is well adapted to be driven by the exhaust gases from an internalcombustion engine such as is frequently the arrangement in an internalcombustion engine turobcharger.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved andsimplified nozzle arrangement for a gas turbine which permitsindependent expansion of the nozzle ring and housing and other relatedparts without introducing excessive stresses in the materials.

Another object is to provide an improved gas turbine wherein a nozzlering is provided of simplified construction for ease of assembly anddisassembly with the turbine housing for manufacture or replacement.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved stator vaneconstruction for a gas driven turbine for directing the flow of gases tothe rotor and for receiving operating gas in dual flows.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparout with the teachingof the principles of the invention in connection with the disclosure ofthe preferred embodiment thereof in the specification, claims anddrawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view taken through a turbocharger employingconstruction in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view showing details of the spring ring ofthe mechanism of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line III-III ofFIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line IVlV ofFIGURE 3.

As shown on the drawings:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a turbocharger incorporating a gas turbineembodying the features of the present invention. The turbocharger isenclosed in a housing 12 and the compressor end is enclosed in housingparts 12a and 12b and the turbine end is enclosed in a housing part 120.Within the housing part 12c is a ring assembly 13 which Will later bedescribed in detail. The turbine, with its features of constructionincluding the housing 120 and the ring assembly 13 incorporate theunique features of the instant invention and the overall features of theturbocharger provide a preferred environment for the turbine and areshown and described for that purpose.

The compressor housing parts 12a and 12b are formed With annular meetingfaces and a gasket 14 is located between the faces to seal the parts.Bosses, such as 16 and 18, may project from the housing parts to receivebolts 19 for securing the parts 12a and 12b together.

The housing parts 12b and are provided with flanges 12d and 12e whichare utilized for clamping the housing parts 12b and 120 together by anannular clamping band 20. The band is provided with inclined inner faceswhich mate with the inclined outer faces of the flanges 12d and 12e tosecurely clamp the parts together, and the band 26 may be loosened forrelatively rotationally shifting the parts 12c and 12b to change therelative positions of the compressor end and turbine end of theturbocharger. The housing part 12a is provided with a compressed airdischarge outlet fitting, not shown. The housing part 1120 is providedwith a large inlet boss 24 for hot gases. The conduits to which thesefittings connect and their positions can be better accommodated withrelative rotational shifting of the parts 12a and 12c.

Extending axially through the housing is a shaft 26 supported in bearingmeans 28 with seals 30 and 32 along the shaft to prevent the escape oflubricant and to prevent the pressurized air and hot operating gasesfrom entering the lubricant compartments. Lubricating oil is feddownwardly through a passage .33 in the housing part 12b and feeds tolubricating branches 34 and 36, which supply openings in the bearings.The lubricant flows from the bearings down to a lubricant draincompartment 38, and through a lubricant drain opening 46.

At one end of the housing 12 the parts 12a and 12b form a compressorrotor chamber 4-2 in which rotates a vaned compressor rotor 44. Thecompressor rotor has a hub 46 mounted on the shaft 26 and held thereonby a threaded nut 48. The compressor rotor is provided with impellervanes 56 which force the air centrifugal-1y outwardly to compress it ina known manner. Air is taken in through an air inlet opening 52 formedby an annular hub 54 on the housing part 12a. The housing part 1211 hasa radial flat face 56 extending outwardly from the rotor and with anopposing inwardly facing surface 58 on the housing part 12a for-ms anair flow throat 60 extending radially outwardly for the flow of air fromthe vanes 50 of the compressor rotor 44-. The air passes outwardly fromthe throat 44} into an involute scroll air chamber 62. As the compressorrotor 44 forces the compressed lair outwardly through the throat 6t itenters the chamber 62 and is discharged out through the dischargepassage for the compressor. The air flowing outwardly along the flatwall 56 tends to circle in the chamber 6-2 and flow inwardly along theinner surface 64 to interfere With the flow out through the throat 66.This effect may be referred to as back wash or as boundary layer flowback. A fence 66 in the form of an annular ring is secured to the wall58 beside the throat and projects radially outwardly into the chamber62. The fence ring is provided with circumferentially spaced holesthrough which are inserted screws 68 threaded into threaded holes '70 inthe housing part 12a to secure the fence ring 66 in place.

The shaft 26 is driven by a turbine rotor 72 mounted at the other end ofthe shaft. The turbine rotor has a hub 74 suitably secured on the shaftwith shaped outwardly extending vanes 76. The turbine rotor vanes 76face outwardly toward a slot or throat 78 through which the heatedoperating gases flow to drive the rotor. The gases 3 are dischargedthrough an exhaust passage 80, formed in an annular hub 82which is partof the housing part 120. The operating gases are supplied to the throatthrough a scroll or operating gas chamber 84 which extends annularlyaround the throat 78 which supplies the rotor chamber 86.

Within the throat 73 are stator or nozzle vanes 88 secured to a nozzlevane plate or ring 90. As illustrated in FIGURES l, 3 and 4, beside thethroat 78 and extending axially therefrom is an annular recess 92 inwhich the vane ring is located. The annular recess also provides alocation for a spring ring 94. The spring ring is backed against thewall 92a, and urges the vane ring and vanes 88 against the Wall 78awhich is the side of the throat 78. Between the nozzle ring 90 and thespring ring 94 is a means for maintaining the two rings in centeredalignment and in the preferred form illustrated, the vane ring has anannular flange 90a with an inner surface 9% that centers the spring ring94.

Thus, the housing part 120 can be inexpensively made, and the vane ling9t] and vanes 88 are substantially independent of the housing incontraction and expansion with temperature change. This greatly reducesthe cost of manufacture and improves the safety and operationalperformance, avoiding expensive mountings for vanes and the cost ofconstructions of the type heretofore used.

The spring ring 94, as shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, may take variousforms, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, but isespecially advantageous in being formed with a ring shaped annular back94a from which facing tongues such as 9412 and 94c are cut toresiliently project outwardly and engage the vane ring 90. This forms aninexpensive, easily assembled spring arrangement, and the vane assemblyand spring assembly comprise only two parts. The nozzle ring 90 isalways held firmly against the wall 78a which forms a support for thenozzle ring and also forms one side of the nozzles with each completenozzle being formed by the surface of the wall 78a, the surfaces of thevanes 88 and the surface of the ring 90. The ring assembly including thenozzle ring 90 and the spring ring 94 provides nozzles which will remainconcentric with the rotor and yet be substantially independentpermitting free expansion and contraction of the housing and of thenozzles. This arrangement is well adapted to accommodating the dual flowof heated operating gases provided by the divided hot gas inlet.

A divided hot gas inlet is provided for improved operation and for thereceipt of operating gas from dual banks of cylinders when theturbocharger is used in an engine having cylinders arranged in banks.The divided inlet is illustrated as preferably formed integrally withinthe housing part 120, and is illustrated in FIGURE 1. The inletconnector 24 has an outwardly extending flange 24a for connecting a gassupply conduit which is of a size to supply the passage 96 and thepassage 98, and has dual passages.

Operating gas distribution is obtained by the annular extending chamber84 which is divided into two parts. At the upper end, the chamber isdivided by a generally radially extending wall not shown. The inletpassage 96 supplies one half of the annular extending chamber 84 and theinlet passage 98 supplies the other half. A wall 102 extendssubstantially radially outwardly and forms a common wall for thepassages 96 and 98.

In operation of the turbocharger 10, a heated operating gas is directedto the inlet fitting 24 and the gas divides to the passages 96 and 98 toflow in opposite directions. The gas flows inwardly through the openingsdefined by the nozzle vanes 88 to drive the turbine rotor 72. Withtemperature change, the vanes and their supporting ring 90 expand andcontract substantially independently of the housing part 120, and areheld in firm operating position by the spring ring 94. The compressorrotor 44 draws in air through the inlet 52 forcing it outwardly throughthe throat 69 and into the involute compressor chamber 62.

Thus, it will be seen that we have provided an improved turbinestructure which meets the objectives, advantages and featureshoreinbefore set forth. The turbine structure incorporating the improvednozzle ring assembly provides an inexpensive, easily assembled improvedarrangement well suited for gas turbines.

The drawings and specification present a detailed disclosure of thepreferred embodiments of the invention, and it is to be understood thatthe invention is not limited to the specific forms disclosed, but coversall modifications, changes and alternative constructions and methodsfalling within the scope of the principles taught by the invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. A turbine assembly comprising, a housing having a turbine rotorchamber therein, a turbine rotor mounted for rotation within saidchamber, an exhaust passage leading from said chamber, an annular gassupply chamber formed in said housing radially outwardly of said rotorchamber and having a radial surface, a radially extending annular throatopening radially inwardly from said gas supply chamber into said rotorchamber, an annular throat ring having a smooth continuous side surfaceforming a side wall of said throat and having an annular outer surfaceat the outer edge thereof, an annular radially inwardly facing supportsurface on said housing adjacent said throat forming an axiallyextending recess in which said ring is positioned with said outersurface of said ring facing said annular inner surface of said housing,said inwardly facing surface enclosing said ring therein and radiallypositioning the ring, an axially facing surface means in the housingengaged by the ring limiting axial movement of the ring toward saidthroat, an annular spring ring having spring tongues cut therefromextending axially toward the throat ring and engaging the throat ringand holding it against said surface means, an axially facing springsupport surface in the housing supporting said spring ring, and anaxially extending annular flange on the throat ring extending away fromthe throat and surrounding said spring ring holding it radiallycentered, said side surface of the throat ring forming a continuation ofthe surface of the housing in said gas supply chamber for the smoothflow of gas from the supply chamber into the throat.

2. A turbine assembly for a turbine having an exhaust passage, a rotorchamber, an annular supply chamber outwardly of the rotor chamber, and athroat leading inwardly from the supply chamber to the rotor chamber,the assembly comprising, a cast housing part having an annular hubportion [forming the exhaust passage, having an annular outer portionextending concavely and defining the supply chamber terminating at oneside of the supply chamber in an annular axial flange integral with thecast housing part, having a portion between the hub portion and outerportion forming one side of the annular throat, and having a portionbetween the hub portion and throat forming one side of the rotorchamber, a vaned rotor Within said rotor chamber, an annular integralonepiece ring having a radial planar surface with an outer portionforming the other side of the throat. said ring extending inwardly fromthe outer portion behind the rotor providing a planar inner portionforming the other side of said rotor chamber with said planar innerportion exposed between the vanes of said rotor, said inner and outerportions of said ring being co-planar for the smooth flow of fluid andforming a unitary side wall for the turbine interior free of rigidattachment to the cast housing part, said inner portion of the ringextending sufficiently radially inwardly to be 'axially exposed to saidexhaust passage, an annular axially facing support surface on thehousing part axially engaged by said annular ring for determining theaxial position thereof relative to said throat and said rotor chamber,and a spring means behind said annular ring urging the ring against saidsupport surface, said flange on said housing part having 5 an annularinwardiy facing surface surrounding the ring 2,749,842 and hoiding itcoaxial with the rotor. 2,976,013 2,980,394 References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS a 228,576 2,577,179 Buchi Dec. 4,195 409,720 2,654,566 Bayd et a1. Oct. 6, 1953 321,249

6 Ange-11 et :al. June 12, 1956 Hunter Mar. 21, 1961 Rowlett et a1. Apr.18, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 2, 1925 lt-aly Mar. 1, 1945Switzerland June 15, 1957

1. A TURBINE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING, A HOUSING HAVING A TURBINE ROTORCHAMBER THEREIN, A TURBINE ROTOR MOUNTED FOR ROTATION WITHIN SAIDCHAMBER, AN EXHAUST PASSAGE LEADING FROM SAID CHAMBER, AN ANNULAR GASSUPPLY CHAMBER FORMED IN SAID HOUSING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OF SAID ROTORCHAMBER AND HAVING A RADIAL SURFACE, A RADIALLY EXTENDING ANNULAR THROATOPENING RADIALLY INWARDLY FROM SAID GAS SUPPLY CHAMBER INTO SAID ROTORCHAMBER, AN ANNULAR THROAT RING HAVING A SMOOTH CONTINUOUS SIDE SURFACEFORMING A SIDE WALL OF SAID THROAT AND HAVING AN ANNULAR OUTER SURFACEAT THE OUTER EDGE THEREOF, AN ANNULAR RADIALLY INWARDLY FACING SUPPORTSURFACE ON SAID HOUSING ADJACENT SAID THROAT FORMING AN AXIALLYEXTENDING RECESS IN WHICH SAID RING IS POSITIONED WITH SAID OUTERSURFACE OF SAID RING FACING SAID ANNULAR INNER SURFACE OF SAID HOUSING,SAID INWARDLY FACING SURFACE ENCLOSING SAID RING THEREIN AND RADIALLYPOSITIONING THE RING, AN AXIALLY FACING SURFACE MEANS IN THE HOUSINGENGAGED BY THE RING LIMITING AXIAL MOVEMENT OF THE RING TOWARD SAIDTHROAT, AN ANNULAR SPRING RING HAVING SPRING TONGUES CUT THEREFROMEXTENDING AXIALLY TOWARD THE THROAT RING AND ENGAGING THE THROAT RINGAND HOLDING IT AGAINST SAID SURFACE MEANS, AN AXIALLY FACING SPRINGSUPPORT SURFACE IN THE HOUSING SUPPORTING SAID SPRING RING, AND ANAXIALLY EXTENDING ANNULAR FLANGE ON THE THROAT RING EXTENDING AWAY FROMTHE THROAT AND SURROUNDING SAID SPRING RING HOLDING IT RADIALLYCENTERED, SAID SIDE SURFACE OF THE THROAT RING FORMING A CONTINUATION OFTHE SURFACE OF THE HOUSING IN SAID GAS SUPPLY CHAMBER FOR THE SMOOTHFLOW OF GAS FROM THE SUPPLY CHAMBER INTO THE THROAT.